Conversion oil control device



R. w. JOHNSON 2,317,063

CONVERSION OIL CONTROL DEVICE April 20, 1943.

Filed April 4, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l III . INVENTOR POM n4 Jam $0M ATTORNEY.-

April 20, 1943. R. w. JOHNSON CONVERSION OIL CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 4, 1940 l E I 5. 90

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l llll A WM G I E 7. INVENTOR Pow ago/Mam.

ATTORNEY April 20, 1943.

CONVERSION OIL CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 4, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 R. w. JOHNSON. 2,317,063

I my 1 01. 74615 74/14/5101:; 89

INVENTOR 20% n4 Jam $0M agmwwi ATTORNEY April 1943- R. w. JOHNSON 7, 6

CONVERSION OIL CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 4, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I INVENTOR Ra #4 Jaw/50M BY I m Patented Apr. 20, 1943 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE 2,317.06: CONVERSION on. common DEVICE Roy W. Johnson. Milwaukee, Wis. Application A ril 4, 1940, Serial No. was: a claims. (01. 137-21) This invention relates generally to a constant level oil control device for regulating. the supply of oil or liquid fuel to a gravity-fed burner, and is adapted to be conveniently embodied in a manually or thermostatically controlled type of device.

vide a constant level all control of this character, which is so constructed and organized as to be quickly and conveniently adjusted to compensate for the varying grades of fuel oils available in various parts of the country. The adjustment is easily accessible and automatically takes care of the low and high fire settings in one operation, and provides an adequate range of adjustment One of the objects of the invention is to proto compensate for the variations in oil flows that are consequent to variations in the grades of fuel oils.

Another object of the invention is to provide an oil control device of this character, which may be readily and easily converted from manual to thermostatic operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thermostatic control of such character that in case of current failure the metering valve is automatically moved to pilot or low fire position and yet by raising the manually operable control plunger associated with the thermostatic control the device can be restored to the full control of the manual control means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a manual control for a constant level device of this character which incorporates a compactly and, closely organized yet simple, durable, and eitlcient cam means for manually setting the metering valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character, which is, in general, simple and durable in its construction, reliable and emcient in operation, and easy and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure l is a View in longitudinal, vertical cross section, taken on line l-l of Figure 2, and showing a constant level oil control device embodying the present invention equipped with both manual and thermostatic control means, the metering valve of the device being illustrated in fully closed position;

fecting adjustment Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the device shown in Figure 1 with the nameplate or the thermostatic control unit broken away for the sake of illustration;

Figure 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal, vertical section, taken on line I-l of Figure 2, but showing the metering valve in full, open position;

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary views in vertical cross section illustrating the manually onerable means for regulating the position of the metering valve and showing the fully closed and fully opened positions, respectively, of the metering valve Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary views in horizontal section, taken on lines 6-8 and 1-1 of Figures 4 and 5, respectively, to further illustrate the construction of the cam which effects the manual setting of the metering valve;

Figure 8 is a group view in perspective of the control knob, combination driving and abutment plate, and hardened steel cam employed for efoi the metering valve; Figure 9 is a view in bottom plan of the cover frame and parts of the cover trams and the thermostatic control unit which may be combined therewith being omitted from the illustration;

d is a perspective view of the lever interposed between the controi wiit and the metering valve; t led perspective view of the v aim for the cam abutment tally operable adjusting means for the meterhig valve;

l lgnre is a fragmentary detailed view in vertical cross section, taken on line ti -i2 of Figure t;

Figure 18 is a detail perspective view of the antifriction washer against "which one end of the spring of the manually operable rotary cam means abuts;

Figure id is a view in mostaticaliy controlled bottom plan of the therunit detached from the control device, the unit being illustrated on a smaller scale.

Figure 15 is a view thereof in central, vertical, longitudinal cross section of the thermostatically controlled unit and illustrating one position of the manual control plunger of the thermostatic control unit;

Figure 16 is a detail view in horizontal cross section taken on line i6-=l6 oi Figure 15;

Figure l? is a fragmentary view in cross sec-, tion similar to Figure 15 but showing another pocarried thereby, the nameplate arrangement or system in which the thermostatically controlled unit of the present invention may be embodied.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 3, it will be seen that the control device embodying the present invention comprises a casing, designated generally at I, and having a main liquid supply chamber 2 there-- in. Liquid fuel is supplied through an inlet 3 equipped with a strainer I to an inlet valve 5 controlled by main float 8 so that a constant level of'liquid fuel is maintained in the supply chamber 2. A safety shut-off mechanism, desi nated generally at 1, is combined with the means for maintaining the level of liquid fuel in the main supply chamber 2 in the manner fully described and claimed in my Patents 2,068,138, granted January 19, 1937, and 2,120,364, granted June 14, 1938.

The liquid flows out of the main supply chamber 2 through one or more outlet passages 8 (see Figures 4 and 5,) which are connected up to the burner (not shown). As the outlet passages and their associated valve mechanism are identical, a

description and illustration of but one will serve.

A tubular valve guide 9 has its lower end press fitted, or otherwise suitably secured, in the upper portion of the outlet passage 8, the valve guide extending vertically in the casing and terminating a short distance'below the upper end of the casing. The tubular valve guide 9 is provided with a lateral opening or port In which provides for communication between the interior of the valve guide and the liquid supply chamber 2. Just below this port the tubular valve guide has an internal valve seat II. A metering valve I2 is slidably fitted in the tubular valve guide 9 for vertical movement and has its lower end I3 reduced and slotted and designed to coact with the valve seat II and with the internally restricted lower end of the valve guide 9 to meter the flow of oil from the liquid supply chamber to the outlet passage. The metering valve also has a beveled portion 14, which snugly engages the bevel valve seat I I of the valve guide in the fully closed position of the metering valve. The metering valve I2 is constrained to vertical sliding movement, and is held against rotation by means of a transverse guide pin l5 which extends through openings provided therefor in the metering valve, and projects through and laterally beyond vertical slots It provided therefor in the upper port-ion of the valve guide 9.

Means is provided for biasing the metering valve I2 to open position, and may conveniently take the form of an expansible coil spring l1 having its lower end engaging an abutment l8 provided therefor on the valve guide and having its upper end engaging the under sides of the pro- :lecting ends of the guide pin l5.

Applied to the upper open end of the casing I is a cover frame, designated generally at 20. The

marginal portion of the frame 20 is releasably secured to the body of the casing l by a suitable number of screws 2|. The portion of the cover frame 20 that overlies the metering valve has transversely extending and horizontally disposed web 22 cast integrally therewith and formed with suitable openings to accommodate the various elements to be hereinafter described. The closure of the top of the control device is completed by the provision of leasably secured in position by a suitable number of screws 24.

The portion of the web 22 of the cover frame, which directly overlies the metering valve 12, is provided with an integral upstanding sleeve 25 formed at itsupper end with an inturned annular flange 25 (see Figure 4) The manually operable control knob for the metering valve, designated generally at 21, is rotatably interfitted with the upper end of this sleeve 25, and for this purpose has a depending annular flange 23 which rotatably fits over the upper end portion of the sleeve 25. The knob 21 has an integral, reduced central or body portion 29 which extends down into the sleeve 25. This central port-ion 29 of the knob has diametrically opposite key slots 33 extending longitudinally thereof. The slots 33 slidably interflt with inwardly directed keys or 11185 3| formed on a washer 32 which is slipped up over the central portion of the knob and abuts the under face of the flange 25 of the sleeve 25 in the assembly (see Figure 4 and 13). The lowerend of the central portion 29 of the knob 21 presents a flat face or seat against which the central portion of a combined driving plate and spring abutment plate, designated generally at 33, engages. The plate 33 is rotatably coupled to the knob 21 so as to be constrained to turn therewith, and for this purpose it may have a driving lug 35 struck therefrom and interengaged with one of the key slots 30 of the central portion 29 of the knob 21. A coil spring 35 encircles the reduced central portion 29 of the knob 21 and its upper end abuts the anti-friction washer 32. which in turn abuts the inturned flange 25 of the stationary sleeve 25. The lower end of the spring 35 abuts the plate 33, and since in the assembly the plate 33 is held against axial movement relative to the central portion of-the knob, the spring 35 forces theentire knob assembly downwardly relative to the sleeve 25. A cam, designated generally at 35, is placed up against the under side of the plate 33. The cam 35 has an apertured hub portion 33 which engages the central portion of the plate 33 and has an upwardly offset portion 39 which serves two functions, namely as a part of the active face of the cam 38, and also as a means for establishing a positive driving connection between the plate 33 and the cam 35. In carrying out the latter purpose, the offset portion 39 of the cam is in the assembly interiitted with a slot" provided in the plate 33. Circumferentially alined with the offset portion 39 is an adjustable cam strip ll, the strip portion ll being given its formation and rendered capableof fiexure to vary throw of the cam by virtue of the provision of a slot 42 between the strip 4i and the hub portion 38 of the cam. The slot 42 terminates in slightly spaced circumferential relation to the offset portion 39 of the cam 35. The cam 35 is of hardened steel so as to be capable of taking the wear, but is sufilciently flexible or resilient to be capable of the adjustment desired.

The cam 36 and the plate 33 are both securely held against the lower end of the central portion 29 of the knob 21 by means of a headed stud 43 which has a reduced and threaded shank l3. threadedly interfitted with aninternally threaded a nameplate 23, which is reaamoes opening provided in the central portion 29 of the knob 21 and opening through the lower end thereof. A lock washer 45 is interposed betweenthe shoulder presented of the stud l3 and its shank 43' so as to retain the parts against accidental displacement after they have been assembled. The stud 43 thus effectively secures the cam and plate 33 in position, and it serves the further p rpo of metering valve operator to that it directly engages a boss l2 provided on the upper end of the metering valve l2, and thereby transmits motion from the to the metering valve in e manner which will hereinafter more clearly appear. The throw ol the cam 3% is varied by flexing the strip t l and this may he conveniently effected by providing an adjusting screw ll which is threocled through the knob ii and has its lower rounded end licorice down on s portion of the strip ti the upper end of the adjusting screw is cross slotted and is accessible through is hold in the us er e lmcb. The details of the construction per se form no pert oi present m are more fully disclosed in ii. l 2,244,161, issued lit-ti, to Roy Vt lhiisoh. the osseiiihly the active face of rides on on abutment lug which they I grclly formed with an crljustehle sumiortii i. supporting lug till on -e arm it is practical end convenient to comp sate for vorieti is he erodes of fuel oil present instencc this some is l stitutirig the llllli iii of riveting one end at 2th. The op iosite .me end of the arm formed with to threaded r .lii'i adjusting screw so, which has at s level. com-lee with socket lit provided thereof in web is tlu'cededly inter engaged with the heating lice top of the screw is cross slotted, removed is accessible for adjusts-sent. E31 him ing the screw 5 the cum ll is dotted upwardly or downwardly depending upon the direction in which the screw 5% is tumed, therehy raising or lowering the abutment lug lit.

With this construction, by tuming the hitch 217 the cam it will ride along the rounded upper end of its abutment lug hill, and consequently the hitch assembly, including stud ill, will he shifted up or down depending upon the direction in which it is turned.

The vertical movement of the stud it effects a corresponding movement in the metering valve, in that it allows it to open or moves it toward closed position as the case may be. Figures 5 and 7 show the fully open position of the valve I? in which position the portion of the cam strip 4 I. de-

' fiected down farthest is engaged with the cam abutment lug 5t. Consequently, the entire knob assembly is elevated as high asit may be, the stud 43 is elevated as far as possible, and valve I 2 is fully opened. Figures 4 and 6 illustrate the full shut-oil position of the valve 52 wherein the upper end of the cam abutment lug 50 is engaged with the upwardly oiTset portion 39 of the cam 38 to permit the cam 36 and entire knob assembly to lower as far as they may whereby stud it pushes the metering valve H to fully closed position against the action of its biasing spring ll. 7

In order to adopt a. manually controlled device of this character to thermostatic control, it is proposed to equip all units at the factory with an auxiliary valve-operating mechanism with which a, thermostatic control may be readily combined. This auxiliary valve-operating mechanism com- Jeri the cover plot-e is at the juncture of the head prises a valve-operating lever, designated gener ly at 85, and having one end pivotally mounted or fulcrumed, as at 68, within the casing I. An arm 61 of the lever is engageable with the guide pin l5 of the metering valve 02 to control the position of the metering valve when the device is converted to a. thermostatically controlled unit. The valve-operating lever 65 also has .a second lever arm 68 which may be integraltherewith, and which is preferably horizontally disposed. In fact, as shown in the drawings, the valve-operating lever 65 is preferably constituted of a sheet metal stamping. The outer end of the arm lid of the lever 65 engages the lower headed end of on otteratlng pin 89 which is slidahly fitted in c. hosting it provided therefor in'the web 22 of the casing.

In order to control the high and low fire positions of a valve when it is subject to the thermostatic control, high and low lire stops for lever til ore provided, the high fire stop being in the form of an adjustable screw it corned hy the web it end engageable with the lever crm it to limit the u1oword swing of the other valve-operating lever The low fire step may comprise on adjus screw 12 threadedly interconnected with the lllll oi the lever 65, and ehgegeeihle with the sow porting arm ill to limit the dovmwmd swinging movement of the volvemoeratiog lever A thermostatically be combined with the iiistruinehtelities llEl'Eillshove described, is designated generally at 85 end comprises a flat cesihg l6 which may preferably be constituted of Bakelite, or the like. When this unit Till is colic hined with the control device, it is only to remove three oi the nameplate screws til'ld place the unit it in position and them. secure it by means of longer screws H. A bimetallic lees? it is provided in the casing l5, and has one end securel fastened to hearing pod it provided therefor in the casing. The op site end of this bimetallic leaf has on operetihg tongue 6% ettached thereto and overlying and opemtively engaged with the upper end of the valve-operating pin 69. An electric heating element til is secured or attached to the leaf 18 by means of e. clip M, but is electrically insulated therefrom. The elcc trio heating element has one terminal connected by means of a conductor 84 to the secondary oi the step down transformer 85. The other temiinal of this heating element is connected by the conductor "with the so-called red contact ill of the room thermostat designated at 8B. The himetallic element 81' of the room thermostat 8B is connected by means of other terminal of the transfonner 85. Of course. the electrical system, is intended to be illustrative only, and any suitable or well-known adapted to this character of device may be employed. i

With the thermostatic control unit in place, and the manual control knob 21 adjusted to any.

provide a pointer 2'! which coacts with the dial 23 provided on the controlled unit, which may molded material, such as a conductor as to the thereby moving the tongue 83 up away from the pin 69 and allowing the valve spring ii to swing the'lever 65 upwardly and permit the metering valve l2 to open under the influence oi. its spring l1. When the room thermostat is satisfied its contacts 81' and 81 are disengaged and the supply of current to the heating element 80 is shut off. Consequently, the bimetallic leaf 1.8 cools down and its tongue 83 presses downwardly on the pin 89, thereby swinging the valve-operating lever 85 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures .1 and 3, whereupon will press on pin it and move the metering valve it towards closed position.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that a thermostatic control unit is of such character that in the event of current failure the metering valve II will be automatically moved to pilot or low fire position. In order that heat may be available under the regulation of the manual control, under such circumstances, a manually operable control plunger 90 is combined with the thermostatically controlled unit. This plunger 80 has a rotating and sliding fit in the bearing 9| provided therefor on the casing 15, and its lower headed end is swiveily interconnected with the bimetallic leaf 18. The upper portion 93 of the plunger is cylindrical and has a rotating and sliding lit in a correspondingly formed portion of the bearing 9i. The lower portion 84 of the plunger is of non-circular cross section, and is slidably but non-rotatably fitted in a correspondingly formed lower portion 95 of the bearing 9|. The bearing BI is provided with a shoulder 96 intermediate its cylindrical and non-circular portions. With this construction, when the plunger 90 is in its lowermost position, the bimetallic element is entirely free of its control. However, by pulling upwardly on the plunger 80 its head 92 will engage the free end of the bimetallic leaf I8 and warp it upwardly against the influence of its inherent tension. When the non-circular portion 94 of the plunger is positioned above the shoulder 86, then the plunger may be turned to cause the non-circular portion to interlock with the shoulder and retain the plunger raised. This restores the device to manual control,

Figure 19 illustrates a modification of the construction of the manual control plunger of the thermostatic control unit in that instead of having the head 91 and its shank as an integral rigid part of the plunger proper, it is made separate and threadedly interconnected therewith, as at 91. This permits of an adjustment of the effective length of the plunger, and consequently permits of a pilot selection or a selection of an intermediate fire. A lock screw 98 is provided to releasably maintain the parts in any selected adjustment.

While I have shown and described several constructions in which the'invention may be advantageously embodied, it is to be understood that the construction shown has been selected merely for the purpose of illustration or example, and that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subioined claims.

I claim:

1. An oil control device of ,the character described comprising a casing having a liquid supply chamber provided with an outlet, a metering valve for regulating flow through said outlet, means for biasing said metering valve toward its arm 61 open position manually operable control knob axially and rotatlvely mounted on the casing in operative relationship to the valve, a rotary cam flxed to said knob, a spring interposed between said casing and said cam and urging said cam and knob toward said valve with a force greater than said predetermined force, an abutment for said cam, a supporting arm for said abutment mounted within the casing. and a valve operator connected to the knob and abutting with the valve to move said valve toward closed position as said knob and cam are moved axially upon being rotated.

2. An oil control device of the character de scribed comprising a casing having a liquid sup ply chamber provided with an outlet, a metering valve for regulating flow through the outlet, means for biasing the valve toward open position with a predetermined force, a manually operable control knob for said valve mounted on the casing in operative relationship to the valve and for axial shifting movement, a combined abutment and driving plate fixed to the lower end of the knob, a spring interposed between the casing and said plate for biasing the knob toward said valve with a force greater than said predetermined force, a cam fixed to said plate and knob so as to be constrained to rotate and move axially with the knob, an abutment lug mounted on the casing and engaged with the cam, and a valve operator connected to the knob and controlled as to position thereby and abutting with the valve whereby the valve will assume a position with respect to its seat depending on the position to which the knob is rotated.

3. An oil control device of the character described comprising a casing having a liquid supply chamber provided with an outlet, a metering valve for regulating flow through the outlet, means for biasing the metering valve to open position with a predetermined force, a manually operable control knob mounted on the top of the casing rfor rotary and axial shifting movement, a combined abutment and driving plate fixed to the lower end of the hub portion fixed to the knob and having an oflset peripheral portion rotatively coupled to said plate, said cam disk also having a flexible peripheral cam strip in circumferential alinement with said offset peripheral portion, a screw mounted on the knob and engageable with the strip to vary the throw of the cam, a spring exerting a greater force than said predetermined force interposed between the casing and the top of the combined abutment and driving plate to urge the cam plate and disk downwardly, an abutment lug supported in the casing and engageable with the strip and offset portion of the cam depending upon the angular adjustment of the disk, and a valve operator connected to the knob and cooperable with the valve to control the position thereof.

4. An oil controldevice of the character described comprising a casing having a liquid supply chamber provided with an outlet, a metering valve for regulating flow through the outlet, means for biasing the valve to open position with a predetermined force, a manually operable control knob mounted on the casing for rotary and vertical shifting movement and overlying the valve, a combined abutment and driving plate engaged with the lower end of the knob, a cam disk engaged with the under side of the plate and interfitted therewith, a stud threadedly connected with the knob and having a shoulder enwith a predetermined force. a

knob, a cam disk having a gaged with the cam disk to secure the disk and the plate to the knob' and also engageable with the upper end of the valve, an abutment lug mounted on the casing and engaged with the cam, and a spring exerting a greater force than said predetermined force interposed between the casing and said plate to cause the cam disk to press against the lug.

5. A control device of the character described comprising a casing having a liquid supply chamber provided with an outlet, a metering valve for regulating flow through said outlet, spring means for biasing the valve toward open position with a predetermined force, a rotatably and axially movable cam having means abutting with the valve whereby the valve will assume a position with respect to its seat depending on the position to Which said cam is rotated, a spring associated with said cam and urging said cam toward said valve with a force determined force, an adjustable abutment lug slidably engaged with said cam to vary its axial movement upon rotation thereof, a valve-operating lever pivotally supported in said casing and having an arm also abutting with said valve, and a bimetallic leaf and electric heating element on said casing and cooperable with said lever to move said valve toward closed position from open position as determined by the setting of said cam.

6. A control device of the character described comprising a casing having a liquid supply chamber provided with an outlet, a metering valve for regulating flow through said outlet, spring means for biasing the valve toward open position with a predetermined force, a rotatably and axially movable cam having means abutting with the valve whereby the valve will assume a position with respect to its seat depending on the position to which said cam is rotated, a spring associated with said cam and urging said cam toward said valve with a force greater than said predetermined force, an adjustable abutment lug slidably engaged with said cam to vary its axial movement upon rotation thereof, a supporting arm for said lug, a valveoperating lever pivotally supported in the casing and having an arm abutting with said valve and a second arm overlying said supporting arm, and a thermally operated element on the casing and cooperable with said second arm to move said valve toward closed position from the open position as determined by the setting of said cam.

greater than said pra 7. A control device of the character described comprising a casing having a liquid supply chamber provided with an outlet, a metering valve for regulating flow through said outlet, spring means for biasing the valve toward open position with a predetermined force, a rotatably and axially movable cam having means abutting with the valve whereby the valve will assume a position with respect to its seat depending on the position to which said cam is rotated, a spring associated with said cam and urging said cam toward said valve with a force greater than said predetermined force, an adjustable abutment lug slidably engaged with said cam to vary its axial movement upon rotation thereof, a supporting arm for said lug, a valve-opera ting lever pivotally supported in the casing and straddling said arm, high and low fire stops for said lever mounted on the casing and on said arm, said valve-operating lever having one arm abutting with said valve and a second arm overlying said supporting arm, and a thermally operated element on the casing and cooperable with said second arm to move said valve toward closed position from the open position, as determined by the setting of said cam.

8. A control device of the character described comprising a casing having a liquid supply chamber provided with an outlet, a metering valve for regulating flow through said outlet, spring means for biasing the valve toward open position with a predetermined force, a rotatably and axially movable cam having means abutting with the valve whereby the valve will assume a position with respect to its seat depending on the position to which said cam is rotated, a spring asso ciated with said cam and urging said cam toward said valve with a force greater than said predetermined force, an adjustable abutment lug slidably engaged with said cam to vary its axial movement upon rotation thereof, a valve-operating lever pivotally supported in said casing and having an arm also abutting with said valve, a bimetallic leaf and electric heating element on said casing and cooperable with said lever to move said valve toward closed position from open position as determined by the setting of said cam, and manually operable means effective in one position to hold said leaf out of controlling relation to said lever ROY W. JOHNSON. 

